Portulaca plant named ‘Doporcuprasp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Portulaca  plant named ‘Doporcuprasp’, characterized by its upright to low spreading growth habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and large dark red purple-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Portulaca oleracea.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPORCUPRASP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPortulaca plant, botanically known as Portulaca oleracea and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Doporcuprasp’.

The new Portulaca plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new upright to spreading Portulaca plantswith numerous large attractive flowers.

The new Portulaca plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Rheinberg, Germany in July, 2015 of a proprietary selectionof Portulaca oleracea identified as code number RR-0058, not patented,as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Portulacaoleracea identified as code number RR-0065, not patented, as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Portulaca plant was discovered and selectedby the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inRheinberg, Germany in May, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Portulaca plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germanysince June, 2017, has shown that the unique features of this newPortulaca plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Portulaca have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Doporcuprasp’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Doporcuprasp’ as a new and distinctPortulaca plant:

-   -   1. Upright to low spreading growth habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large dark red purple-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Portulaca are more upright than and not as        trailing as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Portulaca have larger flowers than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Portulaca and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have dark pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily from plants ofthe male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Portulaca are more upright than and not as        trailing as plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Portulaca have larger flowers than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Portulaca and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Portulaca can also be compared to plants of thePortulaca hybrida ‘Duecupcheba’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.25,809. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Portulaca differprimarily from plants of ‘Duecupcheba’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Portulaca are more upright than and not as        trailing as plants of ‘Duecupcheba’.    -   2. Plants of the new Portulaca have larger flowers than plants        of ‘Duecupcheba’.    -   3. Plants of the new Portulaca and ‘Duecupcheba’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘Duecupcheba’ have bright pink and        yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Portulaca plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Portulaca plant. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Doporcuprasp’ grown ina container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring and summer in 22-cmcontainers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and undercultural practices typical of commercial Portulaca production. Duringthe production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C.and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time threeweeks after planting and were 20 weeks old when the photograph and thedescription were taken. In the description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Portulaca oleracea ‘Doporcuprasp’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Portulaca            oleracea identified as code number RR-0058, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Portulaca            oleracea identified as code number RR-0065, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 159C in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to low spreading plant            habit; vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit about 200 to 250            lateral branches potentially developing per plant; pinching            enhances branching potential.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 23.5            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 25            cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 80 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 21 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy.        -   Color, developing.—Close to 146C; at the internodes, close            to N199A.        -   Color, fully developed.—Close to N200A and 178A; at the            internodes, close to N199A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Shape, developing leaves.—Elliptic.        -   Shape, fully expanded leaves.—Obovate.        -   Apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; fleshy, succulent; semi-glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C overlain with            close to 79C; venation, close to 150C. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 148B overlain with close to            59A; venation, close to 150C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 mm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers; freely flowering            habit with about 130 to 150 flower buds and flowers per            plant at one time; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about            twelve weeks after planting; in the garden, plants flower            continuously from spring until autumn in Northern Europe.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one day on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.1 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 1.5 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144C and 47B.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement: Five petals in            a single whorl. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm.            Shape: Obovate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Truncate. Margin:            Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface:            Close to 51A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 38A and            18C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 60B; color does            not change with development. Fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 52B and 56D; color does not change with            development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically two fused into a            tubular calyx. Calyx length: About 8.5 mm. Calyx diameter:            About 5 mm. Length: About 8.5 mm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:            Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color,            developing and fully developed, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:            Mostly upright. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and            luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 146C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of stamens per            flower: About 40 to 60. Filament length: About 4 mm to 5 mm.            Filament color: Close to 167A. Anther shape: Oval, bi-lobed.            Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 23A.            Amount of pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A.            Gynoecium: Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style length: About            5 mm. Style color: Close to 170B. Stigma color: Close to            163A. Ovary color: Close to 144A. Fruits: Quantity produced            per plant: About 700 to 1,800 per plant at the end of the            flowering season. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About            5.2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146D.            Seeds: Quantity per flower: About 12 to 40. Length: About            1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 202B and 200B.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Portulaca have been observed    to have good garden performance, to tolerate temperatures ranging    from about 7° C. to about 35° C. and to be suitable for USDA    Hardiness Zone 11.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Portulaca have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Portulaca plants to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Portulaca plant named‘Doporcuprasp’ as illustrated and described.